Matthew Riccitello
"It was a real team effort."
"It was definitely a stressful day with the wind and a big breakaway at the front. The team was extremely strong all day to control the gap and protect me from the wind, we were perfect. Starting the season like this with DECATHLON CMA CGM is a really nice feeling. I'm super happy with how the last three days have gone and I can't wait to see what the rest of the season has in store. I was already thrilled to be part of this team, and now I'm even more so. It was a real team effort; I couldn't have achieved such a good result without them."
Luke Rowe
"It's always nice to win a race at the start of the season."
"I think we should be satisfied. What pleases me most is the way the riders and behaved, even more than the result itself. Today, they controlled the race without stress, I never felt that we were in a situation where we were going to lose. Yesterday, the team positioned Matthew Riccitello really well before the climb, then they played tactically with Aurélien Paret-Peintre. It's always nice to win a race so early in the season."
The news
Aurélien Paret-Peintre at the foot of the podium
Fourth in Tour La Provence and first Frenchman, Aurélien Paret-Peintre had a successful race, keeping pace with the leaders during the queen stage.
5
Key number
Like the number of professional victories for Matthew Riccitello. After winning the overall classification of the Istrian Spring Trophy in 2022, as well as a stage and the overall classification of Tour Sibiu Cycling Tour 2025, Matthew Riccitello has made a flying start to 2026. He won the queen stage of Tour La Provence, the overall classification, and the best climber's jersey.
